Red Wine Reduces Risk Of Cataracts

Thu 19 May 2005

According to Tony Aspler writing in Decanter Magazine, a new study has found that moderate red wine consumption can cut the risk of developing cataracts by half.

The research formed part of a larger, five year Reykjavik Eye Study into age-related disease that initially included 1,045 people, all over the age of 50. Data on 846 people was included in the cataract study.

After five years, 32.3% of the non-drinkers and 22% of drinkers had cataracts. Amongst drinkers, beer and hard liquor drinkers faced the greatest risk of developing cataracts, followed by red wine drinkers - white wine was not included in the study as it is not widely drunk in Iceland. Once the researchers had accounted for age, smoking habits, diabetes and other factors, the researchers found moderate wine drinkers reduced their incidence of developing any kind of cataracts by around 50%, compared to non-drinkers.